The present invention relates to air seals used in a gas turbine engine. More particularly, the present invention relates to a laminate air seal formed from a composite of fabrics and a polymeric resin stable at an operating temperature of the gas turbine engine.
Seals are frequently used in gas turbine engines to seal air cavities or to at least reduce air flow out of a cavity. These types of air seals are commonly formed of rubber or metal. However, due to high temperatures and vibrations in the engine environment, both the rubber and metal designs have limitations. Rubber, such as silicone rubber, may not be able to withstand high operating temperatures. In some cases, the rubber seal may thermally degrade above a certain temperature and become brittle, which may negatively impact its sealing performance. In contrast, a metal seal may be stable at higher temperatures. However, the metal may cause damage to the engine part that the metal seal contacts. In some cases, a wear strip or a rub strip may be used to protect the underlying part from damage caused by the metal seal. Over time, however, the metal seal may wear through the rub strip and still damage the underlying part.
There is a need for a non-destructive air seal that is stable at the operating conditions of the gas turbine engine.